St. Louis Bay Spans on Pace, Despite Accident, Lost Time
In spite of losing five weeks in the schedule due to a fatal accident in June, joint venture contractors Granite Construction Inc., Watsonville, Calif., and Atlanta–based Archer Western Contractors say they will deliver the $266.8–million U.S. Hwy. 90 Bridge over St. Louis Bay along Mississippi's Gulf Coast before November 30, the originally scheduled date of completion.
Other than citing the five-week delay in the schedule, GAW project manager Allan Nelson wouldn't comment on the June 14 accident that resulted in the deaths of Alger Pennaman, 51, of Jackson, Miss., and Delfino Beltran, 40, of Austin, Texas. A column form failed during a concrete pour, tossing nine workers into the bay and drowning Penman. No official comment has been released from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, which has six months to perform an investigation. "It is an open investigation, which probably began on June 14 (the date of the accident) or the next day," says Dan Fuqua, public affairs director for OSHA's Atlanta office. "I can't tell you anything until that report is released."